Protecting and restoring the
Rahway River and its ecosystem

About the Rahway River

Encompassing 130 square miles, the Rahway River watershed is one
of the oldest urbanized areas of the State of New Jersey stretching
from Edison Township in Middlesex County north to the Oranges of
Essex County and westward to the Watchung Ridges. Despite the man
made landscape that predominates the region, nature remains
resilient with oases of wildlife and remarkable natural areas tucked
in pockets along the various branches of the Rahway River. For these
reasons, the Rahway River Association has been the region’s leading
voice in championing the cause of preserving open space, improving
water quality and protecting natural resources of the Rahway river
watershed since 1992.

The Rahway River is 24 miles long and drains a land area of 41
square miles of Essex, Middlesex and Union counties.

There are 24 municipalities in the Rahway River watershed including
Maplewood, Millburn, South Orange and West Orange in Essex County,
Carteret and Edison in Middlesex County and Cranford, Mountainside,
Springfield and Rahway in Union County.

The Rahway River consists of four distinct branches. The West
Branch, begins in Verona and flows south through South Mountain
Reservation and directly through downtown Millburn. The East Branch
originates between West Orange and Montclair and travels South
Orange and Maplewood. These two branches converge near Route 78 in
Springfield and flow through Clark, Cranford and Union. In Rahway,
the confluence of the Robinson’s and the South Branches of the river
occurs. The river continues through Linden and Carteret forming the
boundary between Middlesex and Union counties and drains into the
Arthur Kill.

The Rahway River is the source of drinking water for the 26,500
people in the City of Rahway.
Portions of the Rahway River are part of the East Coast Greenway, a
2,600 mile trail between Maine and Florida.

There is close to 5,000 acres of county parkland in the Rahway River
watershed. Much of the Rahway River corridor in Essex and Union
counties is public open space.

The lower Rahway River is tidal. The tidal portion of the river
extends up into the City of Rahway. The upper portion of river
corridor consists of floodplains, woodlands and freshwater wetlands
while the lower portion consists of salt marshes and tidal flats.

The Rahway River watershed was the site of several Revolutionary War
battles and engagements. Most notable among them were the Battle of
Short Hills 1777 and in 1780 the Battle of Connecticut Farms in
Union and the Battle of Springfield. There are many National
Historic Sites associated with the American Revolution in the Rahway
River watershed.

The Rahway River is home to four anadromous fish species (fish that
spawn in freshwater and live in saltwater) and one species of
catadromous fish species (fish that spawn in salt water and live in
freshwater). There are plans to install a fish ladder at the Rahway
City Water Works to aid these fish during their spawning migrations.

Portions of the Rahway River are stocked with trout by the New
Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

The Rahway River’s woodlands and wetlands provide much needed
wildlife habitat in the region. Bio Blitzes (a 24 hour biological
inventory) conducted in 2005 and 2006 each documented the presence
of nearly 700 species of plants and animals.

Our Mission

The purpose of the Rahway River Association is to protect and
restore the Rahway River and its ecosystem

The Association recognizes the Rahway River and its biological
communities are an important link between the environment,
communities, and the quality of life of the people of the Rahway
River Watershed.

To help fulfill its purpose, the Association will:

Provide opportunities for networking and information sharing
between communities and organizations in the Rahway Watershed;

Promote cooperation and coordination between public and private
entities to preserve and enhance the River’s ecological functions
and benefits;

Work in cooperation with communities and other organizations to
undertake ecologically beneficial activities to restore and enhance
the Rahway River and its biological communities;

Provide opportunities for education, curriculum support
activities, community awareness, and environmental stewardship
relating to the Rahway River and its natural resources;

Encourage recreation and other beneficial uses of the River
commensurate with the Association‘s purpose.